Trolley clamp



W. SCHAAKE.

TROLLEY CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s. 1919.

llfi fifigo v Patented Got. 3, R922 FE ll in J L J J' /If INVENTOR WITNESSES:

Mil/Mm jmm/m BY ATTORNEY Patented (Clct. 3, i922.

WILLIAM SCHAAKE, F PITTSBURGH, PEN

NSYLVANIA, .ASSIGNGR T0 VJESTINGHOUSE TROLLEY CLAMP.

Application filed September 8, 1919.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SCHAAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county-of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trolley Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for suspending electric line conductors, and it has for one of its objects to provide an improved clamping device which shall be simple in construction and effective and durable in service.

Another object of my invention is-to provide a trolley-conductor clamp that shall comprise substantially a minimum number of parts and that may be mounted in position on a conductor by the use of a simple tool, such as a hammer.

Various types of trolley clamps have been suggested in the prior art and many of them have been extensively employed in service but nearly all have comprised parts on which more or less machine work was necessary. It has been my aim to construct a device of the character indicated composed of substantially a minimum number of parts which require substantially no machine work and which may be readily secured to, and as readily detached from, a trolley-conductor.

My improved device comprises, in general, two interchangeable jaw members which may be readily locked together by the use of a simple tool, such as a hammer, and be separated withequal facility.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section of a trolley-conductor clamp embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line III- III of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of certain parts of the device.

A. pair of similar co-operating jaw n1emhere 1, adapted to grip a usual figure eight trolley conductor 2 in a wellknown manner, are provided on the inner sides, near the upper edges thereof, with oppositelydisposed tapering grooves for the reception of a longitudinal Wedge 3 that is preferably oval in cross section. A supporting member if, of inverted substantially channel or trough shape, is disposed over the aw members 1 and has inwardly-projecting side Serial No. 322,530.

walls 5 which bear, at their edges 6, against the outer surfaces of the member 1 that may be formed, as shown, to provide seats 7 for the edges 6. A threaded integral boss 8, projecting from the upper surface of the member 41-, adapts the clamp for attachment to a suspension insulator or other device, (not shown). The upperportions of the members 1. project laterally in the member 4-. and are provided with staggered projections 10 disposed over the wedge 3, in order that the members 1 may not be with drawn from the member 4 when in service.

Oppositely disposed openings 11 and 12 in the end walls 13 of the member 4:, preferably shaped to the transverse contour of the Wedge 8, permit the latter to be placed in operative position, the larger opening 11 having a tributary portion 14 to permit'the passage of an intermediatelug or projec tion 15 on the wedge 3 during the assembly of the clamp. i 1

After the wedge 3 has beenplaced in position, a relatively-thin rectangular plate 16 is placed. on shoulders 9 at one end of the members 1 to close the tributary opening 14 and a lug 17 of the member 4 swaged from its initial position, shown in broken lines, to a position adjacent the lower edges of the plate 16 to permanently secure the latter in position. The lug 15 is so located that the wedge 3 may be withdrawn a sufi'icient distance to permit the lower edges of the jaw members 1 to be separated for the reception of a conductor 2, after which a single welldirected blow of a hammer or any other suitable and convenient implement is all that is necessary to clamp the conductor between the jaw members.

The device is particularly free from delicate and machined parts that are likely to become inoperative from rust and wear, has no loose members and facilitates the manipulation thereof to substantially a maximum degree.

While I have shown and described a particular form of my invention, changes may be eifected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A conductor clamp comprising a pair of conductor-gripping members and means includin a longitudinally-slidable wedge irremovab y related thereto and movable rela- 'lli tive thereto to move the same to and from clamping position.

2. A conductor clamp comprising conductor-gripping members and a supporting member therefor having integral portions disposed thereabove and surrounding the outermost portions thereof in overhanging relation thereto.

3. A conductor clamp comprising a pair of conductor-gripping members, a supporting member therefor having a portion extending parallel to the conductor, means comprising a plurality of bent end portions of said support-ing member extending transversely to the conductor for receiving and looking a wedge therein, and an elongated wedge extending parallel to the conductor and co-operating with said receiving means to hold said gripping members in operative position.

4. A conduct-or clamp comprising a pair of jaw members, a protective hood support therefor surrounding the same at the top, sides and ends, registering openings in'the ends of the hood and spaced from the top and sides of the hood, and a longitudinal wedge disposed in said openings between the jaw members.

5. A conductor clamp comprising a pair of jaw members, a longitudinal wedge having a projection intermediate its ends, a jawsupporting member having an opening conforming to the cross-section of the wedge and its projection to admit the wedge during assembly and means for covering a portion of the opening after assembly.

6. A, conductor clamp comprising a hood support having turned-in longitudinal. side edges and registering end openings, a pair of jaw members disposed partially in the hood in spaced relation to the walls thereof and having outer side fulcrum seat portions for said edges, and a longitudinal wedge disposed in' said openings between the jaw members for effecting apivot movement of the jaw members on said edges.

7. A trolley-conductor clamp comprising a pair of conductor-gripping jaw members, a supporting member of substantially trough-shape constituting a hood over said jaw members, end walls for the supporting member to prevent the withdrawal of the jaw members and having registering openings, and a longitudinal wedge extending through said openings to hold said jaw members in gripping engagement with a conductor.

8. A trolley-conductor clamp comprising a pair of conductor-gripping jaw members, a supporting member of substantially trough-shape constituting a hood over said jaw members, end walls for the supporting member to prevent the withdrawal of the jaw members and having registering openings, a longitudinal wedge extending through said openings to hold said members in operative position, and means for preventing the removal of said wedge.

9. A conductor clamp comprising a pair of conductor-gripping members, a supporting member having fulorums therefor at vertically intermediate portions thereof and a longitudinally slidable wedge wholly disposed vertically intermediate the fulcrums and the upper. portions of said gripping members.

10. A trolley-conductor clamp comprising a pair of conductor-gripping jaw members each having. a shoulder at one end, a longitudinal wedge having a lateral projection intermediate its ends, a supporting member for said jaw members having an opening conforming to the cross-section of said wedge and its projection to admit the wedge during assembly, and a relatively thin plate, for preventingv the complete withdrawal of said wedge, disposed on saidshoulders and covering a portion of said opening.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day of Aug.

WILLIAM SGHAAKE. 

